Pocket lighter



H. T. SCHIFF POCKET LIGHTER Nov. 28, 1933.

Filed Sept. 2, 1933 Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UN'lTED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 1,931,249 v POCKETHGHTER Henry '1". Schifl, Chicago, 11!. Application September 2,1933. Serial No. causes 3 Claims. '(01. 677.1)'

This invention relates to improvements in pocket lighters.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which is simple, compact, eflicient and ornamental and in which the casing or container, except for one end, is of integral or one piece construction, being cast or molded.

In the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig.- 2 with the striker removed; and Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the molded or cast casing without any of the other parts.

The body of the device is a comparatively thin, hollow structure comprising front, rear and side walls 10 and a top 11, formed integrally therewith and may be cast from metal or. molded from a suitable composition. The top has an opening 12 therein which is preferably but not necessarily near the center. The striker 13 is receivedin the opening and serves as a plug to close the same. It may beof any suitable shape, i. e. cone shaped and the walls of the opening may be correspondingly tapered whereby the plug is held in place frictionally or it may be screw threaded asshown. Said striker has a knurled handle 14 and a projecting metal pin, with a tip 15 of the usual material, the metal pin being surrounded by .a suitable wick 16. To strike a light the striker or mechanical match is unscrewed and removed and then drawn quickly over the exposed surface of a so-called flint or pyrophoric alloy 1'? in the form of a bar or strip which may be mounted in any suitable way on the outside of the container, as for example by cementing it in the vertical groove 18 in one of the side walls.

The bottom of the container is closed by a base 19 having a flange 20, shaped to fit within the lower margin of the wall 10, and preferably cemented therein. As shown in Fig. 6, the device is more -or less oval in cross section, the front and rear walls being curved and being spaced apart only a short distance at their ends by the end walls. While the device may be of any size suitable for the purpose for which it is intended, it is particularly useful as a pocket lighter and is,

therefore, made of small size, comparable to the size of a package of paper matches.

Before securing the base 19 in place, the hollow space or reservoir within the body of the de-.

ribs 23, which latter hold the upper ends of vice is filled, 'to a greater or less extent, with liquid absorbing material, such for example as a felt pad 21. This felt pad has a V shaped notch in it at the top as shown.

' The cast or molded structure when originally made is formed with a depending flange 22 surrounding the-opening 12 to surround the elongated body of the striker. However, this flange or tubular extension is notched transversely as shown in Fig. 5, providing two substantially parallel lugs 23 integral with the front and rear walls. This flange and its two extensions form a guide or protector for part of the body of the striker and also provide a screw threaded opening of sufllcient length to permit the striker to be screwed into a firm seat and prevent leakage of vapor. The absorbent pad is saturated with an inflammable liquid which is introduced by pouring it in through the opening from time to time as may ,be required and in this filling operation, after the liquid is pouredin, the casing is inverted so that any excess liquid will drain out.

The V shaped notch'in the top of the absorbent pad insures that there will be no contact between the striker and said pad except at or near the bottom of said striker. Otherwise a film of inflammable liquid would be applied to the cylindrical body of the striker and whenthe wick was ignited the flame might flash to'the users hand,. resulting in a fire hazard. Said V shaped notch enables the pad'to fit against :lfie

e pad apart and keep them out of contact with the shankof the-striken.

The wick 16 is made preferably of asbestos although it may be ,made of other absorbent material. It is in cylindrical form with its upper end received within a metal cylinder 24. This metal cylinder has a plurality of indentations 24 in its upper end to snap into a circumferential 5 groove 25 in the reduced cylindrical extension 26 below the-screw threaded portion 27. The pin 28 is mounted on the extension 26, being pressed or threaded therein. Thus the cylinder 24 can rotate about its support 26. The wickprotrudes below the end of its sheath 24 and the latter has a plurality of openings 29 cut in it to expose more of the wick and thus insure a larger flame. The lower end of the sheath is in effect a narrow band of metal 30 which confines the wick near its I (JZ LQQS @QlQW i l? wick. ismade preferably of hard 0 steel with a cone shaped or flared head providing a sharp edge which insures sparks when it is struck against the alloy. This particular shape is advantageous in that the sparks are thrown against the, wick so as to insure ignition and avoid the troublesome necessity of striking the pin many "times before the wick lights.

The device isexceedingly simple and ornamental and, as stated, may be made quite small and at the same time it is economical and efll-.

cient. By molding or casting the body of the casing the possibility of leakage or loss of vapor is grea'tly decreased and as a result the lighter need not be filled as often. Heretofore, this necessity of refilling a lighter at frequent intervals has been the most objectionable feature and has constituted a serious detriment to more extensive use of the same. While the flint or bar of pyrophoric alloy may be located in a groove in the base or elsewhere on the casing, it is preferably located on one side to give as long a sliding contact as possible between it and the striker pin.

This application is a continuation in part of applicants co-pending application filed May 2'7, 1933, and bearing Serial No. 673,180.

I claim:

1. A lighter comprising a container having integral top and side walls, said top having an opening therethrough, a striker fitting in said opening to form a vapor-tight closure for the same, a base member secured to the bottom of said side walls to complete said container, pyrophoric material secured to the outside of said container to be struck by said striker when withdrawn, a notch depending flange surrounding said opening, integral with said top and forming ribs extending down said side walls to provide a protector for said striker, the latter projecting well below said protector, and absorbent ing therethrough, a striker fitting in said -opening to form a vapor-tight closure for the same, a base member secured to the bottom of said side walls to complete said container, pyrophoric material secured to the outside of said container to be struck by said striker when withdrawn, a pair of ribs projecting inwardly from opposite side walls and decreasing in width from top to bottom to form, at their lower ends, spaced guides through which said striker passes and a. pad of absorbent material in said container, notched at the top to clear said ribs, said striker extending below said protector to engage said absorbent pad. r

-3. A lighter comprising curved front and rear walls, side walls and a top wall, all of said walls being formed integrally, a groove in the outer surface of one of said side walls, an opening in said top wall, a pair of depending reinforcing members integral with said front and rear walls and having concave inner surfaces, a striker having a head, and a screw threaded portion beneath the same engaging corresponding screw threads in the wall of said opening, absorbent material introduced through the opening at the lower end of said integral walls and a closure for said bottom opening.

HENRY T. sci-EFF. 

